Ladders are like bears—they don't work on hills very well. A bear's shoulders aren't built to extend far enough forward to run downhill effectively and a ladder's legs are just as useless. The new clamp-on Thor-Stand, however, could help ladders tackle downhills with aplomb.

The Thor-Stand—no relation to the Norse god inverting himself over a keg of mead—is an aluminum device that clamps onto the base of a standard ladder. The ladder is separated from the Thor-Stand's double-wide legs by a swivel mechanism that allows the wide legs to match the falling slope (and lock into position) while the ladder itself remains vertical. It even includes a bubble level for added precision.

It weighs 14 pounds, supports up to a 32-foot ladder and a 30-degree slope. It's a bit pricey at $320 and $330 for the standard and heavy duty varieties and is available at the Thor-Stand website. [Thor-Stand via Gizmag]